Even after acquiring MoPub, ‘the world’s largest mobile ad exchange” and filing for an IPO with the SEC, it is still somewhat unclear where Twitter is headed. It is captivating to see how Twitter has gone from just another social network, to an emerging media player and possible news company, and now towards an advertising behemoth as well as a potential eCommerce player. While many analysts are focusing on the social networks potential as a lucrative ad resource and marketing tool, one of the overlooked aspects of Twitter’s potential, which I view as their true calling, rests in the area of eCommerce.

Twitter is Embracing eCommerce

Nathan Hubbard, the newly appointed Head of Commerce and the former President of Ticketmaster, stated that his goal at Twitter is to, “enable shopping via short postings on its social website.” One of the basic components of successful eCommerce involves a seamless process to browse items, add them to your cart, and purchase. If Twitter takes a comprehensive approach conducting transactions and seamlessly fulfilling orders, it will be a true shakeup for online shopping and the eCommerce industry as a whole.

Services like Chirpify are already making strides to unearth the eCommerce potential of Tweets. Described by Tech Crunch writer Rip Emson as “a sort of social payment Platform as a Service (PaaS)”, the Chirpify platform allows for integration of an eCommerce site with Twitter to allow for social commerce transactions via hashtags. Empowering users to buy and brands to sell directly through their Tweets, Twitter can potentially bring about a drastic shift in the way customers experience online shopping.

Shopping Through Discovery

Above all else, social eCommerce is described as ‘discovery,’ as opposed to ‘searching’. Rather than taking time to peruse through the countless items of a poorly designed eCommerce site, customers can hop on Twitter and allow the recommendation and targeting engine to suggest interesting products within their social feed. Chris Marentis, CEO of Surefire Social, pondered the idea of an eCommerce site “being able to Tweet special offers to people who just visited their website.” Hypothetically, the brand can assess the interaction history of a given customer who failed to make a purchase and personalize a Tweet with an offer to capture the sale. Once they receive the offer via their feed, they can reply with #buy hashtag to make the purchase.

American Express has already moved forward in terms of social media delivered purchases through their partnership with Twitter. Members can sync their cards with their Twitter account to make purchases directly through hashtags. With the logistics for seamless payments via Tweet already worked out, it is a matter of time before Visa, MasterCard and other major card services opt in. While the advertising component is vital for the eCommerce potential on Twitter, there is a chance that this new tactic can become a standard strategy for eCommerce businesses hoping to increase sales. Capitalizing on such an instant way to make a purchase will lead to increased revenues for eCommerce businesses that execute it well.

Tweet-Commerce Should Not Be Discounted

There is an endless amount of research that equates an intuitive website design with increased chances for transactions. eCommerce developers often conduct multiple A/B tests to refine the placement of single buttons and minute changes to web layout. Overcrowded content, poor visuals, and superficial landing pages or calls to action can prevent sales from happening. Companies already spend tens of thousands of dollars optimizing their eCommerce site pages to increase transactions.

In eliminating the need to even visit the site, browse, and add items to a cart, companies can streamline the process through 140 character messages and instant hashtag replies. In essence, the buying process has been cut down drastically. Although Twitter eCommerce will not replace the need for professional websites and design services, it can potentially be an ideal option to better target customers with opportunities to buy in seconds.